Adventurous music aficionados, diehard thrift-store shoppers, and swashbuckling pirates actually do have something in common. No, it’s not their penchant for frilly clothing (although rumor has it Jean Paul Gaultier has designed his whole summer line in the ‘What if Blackbeard was a roadie for the Red Hot Chili Peppers?’ vein). What actually unites these three is their affinity for the thrill of the hunt – the hunt for hidden or buried treasure. And, although musical wealth isn’t always marked with an “X”, digging a bit deeper and scoring a find is always rewarding. However, sometimes the scenery and hostile natives in the way to the find can come close ruining even the most profitable trip. There were certainly several tests and traps along the way to the trove on a Thursday evening at Cleveland’s House of Blues. The immature antics of several troublemakers in the crowd came close to driving some of the more mature fans out of the building, almost spoiling a truly remunerative reconnaissance. Yet, indeed, the music was the thing to focus on this evening, as Silverstein’s intricate and constantly maturing sound saved the day and proved even more valuable than the precious metal in the band’s namesake. The golden sounds Silverstein and their hand-picked lineup of friends provided made this foray truly fruitful and made fans musical millionaires for the night.
Dropping Daylight kicked things off a half-hour earlier than the show was set to start, which was unfortunate as their set was a true treat. Quirky lead singer Sebastian Davin commented on how he looked like a candy cane in his red-and-white striped “Where’s Waldo?” shirt – just a perfect example of his loose and fun connection with the crowd. The group displayed a nice blend between harmonic interludes, rock feedback, and spacey fills, all anchored by some superb drum work. Mid-way through the set, Davin introduced a song about an ex-girlfriend with a stern warning as he exclaimed, “Ladies, treat your man with respect and love, you don’t want him to write a song about you.” “Lucy” was the song he referred to and it’s haunting, driving beats and lyrics like “I’ve had my fair share of girlfriends” won over the gathering crowd. The title track off the group’s “Take a Photograph” EP was the closer and clear crowd favorite, showcasing the originality this group brings to the table. Look for much more from Dropping Daylight soon, including a slot on this summer’s Warped Tour.
So much could not be said about “With Honor” who followed with an abrasive set of louder, faster, and, in many instances, sloppier music than any other band on the bill. This collective from Brooklyn and Connecticut seemed to be heavily influenced by bands like Minor Threat, Strike Anywhere, One King Down, and the Descendents. In fact, the lone highlight of their set was a cover of the Descendents song “Good Good Things” done in their punk-ier than punk style. This short set was not so sweet, as they encouraged the crowd to help them “mosh their way out” and seemed to instigate the bad behavior that took over. Stage divers and crowd-surfers had security working overtime as lead singer “Whitey”, decked out in an “Obey” shirt, wrapped things up with a grunt and a scream. It’s one thing to have fun, it’s quite another to almost trample teenage girls in the front row and break every rule imaginable in the name of rebellion. And, yes, this type of music isn’t something that is for everyone, but hardcore music should still be played well. Perhaps With Honor had an off night, as their records prove that they do have talent, but this evening everything just seemed rushed. Both Dropping Daylight and With Honor were done by 7:30, an hour after the show started and just a half-hour after it was scheduled to start.
The late-arrivers made their way in just in time for Stretch Arm Strong, who and proved right away that just because music is loud and aggressive doesn’t mean it has to also has to be void of musicianship and value. Their sound was much more hardcore than some may have expected, but everything they offered was played with precision and utmost skill. Starting off with the anthem “the Sound of Names Dropping” and driving deeper and deeper from there, vocalist Chris McLane and guitarist David Sease took over with their undeniable talents. Playing with the intensity they showcased on last year’s Warped Tour, Stretch Arm Strong left no doubt why they are one of the premier bands playing aggressive music anywhere, period. Bassist Jeremy Jeffers and drummer John K. Barry laid down an unshakable backbone for their forays off their Free At Last album and earlier works. Their most recent press release says “Stretch Arm Strong clearly redefines and reinvigorates everything great about punk” but this band does much more than that. I’m sure some would consider it presumptuous, but Stretch Armstrong has reinvented the concept of punk perfection. After building up a following for the last 10 years, this group has mastered each and every aspect of the art they perform. Besides Silverstein, they were hands down the best band of the night, and their ooh-too-short set wrapped up with a huge ovation.
Unfortunately, Spitalfield wasn’t all they were cracked up to be this night. These young guys show tons of promise, but this night they seemed a little more focused on stage antics and riling up an already over-wound crowd. To start things off, the band enthusiastically told fans that they were the best crowd they had seen on their 3 nights on the tour. Their set seemed to be going well. However, they proceeded to make the one mistake you don’t make in Cleveland, as one of the members commented “F#@k the Cleveland Browns”. Things went downhill quickly from there, as chaos ensued and the crowd rowdily tried to break past security to stage dive (or maybe show the band why Cleveland fans are called ‘Dogs’. A funny sing-along story about not being in the woods and getting “snake bit” followed and lightened the mood, but even the band’s hits like “Restraining Order Blues” and “Texas with a Dollar Sign” couldn’t get back the powerful yet positive vibe Stretch Armstrong had worked so hard to create. Spitalfield’s next song “What Were You Thinking?” served as a soundtrack to stupidity as teenagers tried to launch each other in the air and one poor lad ended up attempting an assisted back flip that ended in a crash and possibly a hyper-extended neck. The older fans in the crowd were growing restless as the kids had their fun, but, in the end, Spitalfield has sounded much better than on than this particular night. The title of their Stop Doing Bad Things album should have served as a warning to the incensed fanatics in the audience. Luckily, though, things were about to get more serious, as the stage was set for Silverstein to take over.
For the uninitiated, Silverstein is the greatest emo/hardcore band to come out of Burlington, Ontario, Canada (a nearby Toronto suburb). Since 2000, their rise has been steady and exhilarating, and the time spent on the road and in the studio has certainly brought on a new maturity that serves to set the band apart from its peers. From the opening notes of “Hear me Out”, it was clear that Silverstein was here to take care of business. Combining both sides of the harmonic and chaotic coin into a polished and perfect progression, Sliverstein excelled in an ambitious display of pure, uncut talent. Artwork from their new album Discovering the Waterfront hung behind them onstage as vocalist Shane Told energetically paraded around the stage, connecting with the crowd through his tales of disconnection. “November” from the When Broken is Easily Fixed album followed with its instantly recognizable introduction and was clearly a crowd favorite. The layers of sound the band created demonstrated a knack for original and intricate composition, and, again, the melodic smashed head-on into the fury of their driving, guitar-fueled attack.
The title track from Waterfront momentarily slowed things down and it was clear that Silverstein encompasses a concept rarely seen outside of nature – they have this power to create music reminiscent of a wave cresting in perfect balance and beauty only to crash down with foam and fury. That moment before the wave breaks has a certain inexplicable energy and so do their crescendos and consequent breakdowns. “Smile in Your Sleep” was another big hit this evening, as the audience sang along with the lyrics “You won’t let me down”. The band certainly didn’t let anyone down, as they proved without a doubt why they were the headliners. After a year of sharing the stage with bands like Hawthorne Heights (who an apparently scorned crowd member informed everyone ‘sucked’) and next-big-thing Fall Out Boy, Silverstein has embraced their life experiences and taken their music to the next level. Their sound has clear roots in the past but is steadily adapting to incorporate their modern day trials and triumphs. “Giving Up” was another highlight as its slow, melodic, stutter-step drumbeats were flawlessly laid down by skin-master Paul Koehler. Yet, besides all the crowd favorites, perhaps the biggest accomplishment of the band this particular night was their ability to please both the rambunctious youngsters in the crowd as well as the more mature concertgoers with their polished sound and their truly original performance.
Whether you’re busy digging through the racks at the Salvation Army, sailing the seas looking for rupees and booty, or braving the live music scene, one of the biggest rewards is to find something at the end of the hunt. The chase itself can be addicting and intoxicating, but, in the end, a night that leads to something unexpected and valuable is a night that will be remembered. Regardless of the bumps in the road, the trip was worthwhile as Silverstein and their cast of consonant characters gave their all to an appreciative (although sometime deviant) crowd. In the end, the music was the treasure, and there was enough to go around, making everyone richer for the experience.
